A Guide on How to Choose a Personal Injury Attorney

When you have suffered a serious injury due to the negligence of another, you justifiably want compensation for that injury. The best way to get the compensation you deserve in a timely fashion is to consult with a personal injury attorney.

Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to choose a personal injury attorney. This guide will help you determine whether individual attorneys fit your needs.

Take a Look at Their Qualifications and Experience

There are many steps to choosing a lawyer. The first step is to look at the qualifications and experience of the attorney you are considering. Rhode Island has hundreds of laws that fill thousands of lines. Every lawyer won’t know every statute, but you need one who understands the laws that apply to your case.

Typically, the best way to judge the experience and qualifications of a lawyer is to look at their website. You can also confirm information, such as when they were admitted to the bar, with the Rhode Island Bar Association.

Ask About Any Specializations or Areas of Particular Expertise

Depending on how finely you break up the categories, there are dozens if not hundreds of types of personal injury law. And no lawyer can focus on all of them. Every attorney has specific focus areas where their experience and knowledge of the law surpass others who have a similar level of general experience.

You want to choose a lawyer who has gotten good results with the type of case you have. Typically, you can learn a lawyer’s focus areas from their website or during your initial discussion with them.

Research Their Reputation and References

Every lawyer has a reputation within the legal community. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to learn about this reputation unless you are also part of the legal community.

However, you can find out what past clients say about them. Lawyers will only share good references on their websites. But you can get a fuller picture by visiting review sites or seeing what people say about the lawyer on their social media accounts.

Evaluate Their Communication and Accessibility

Communication is one of the most important factors for any attorney. Even legal acumen may not be as important.

If you can’t easily communicate with your lawyer, you won’t be able to keep up with the progress of your case. You also won’t typically feel confident about how they are helping you, no matter how much work they are doing.

When you are choosing a lawyer, look for one who is flexible about how they communicate. Your lawyer shouldn’t be dictating to you how they will communicate with you. Instead, they should adapt to what you prefer. Would you like phone calls about important matters and email for all other communication? A good attorney should be able to fulfill that request.

Furthermore, availability matters. For example, if you only have time to deal with your case on weekends, you need a lawyer who can be available at that time. Ask a lawyer about their availability during your first conversation.

Ask About Their Fee Structure

Nearly every personal injury attorney takes cases on contingency. This means they only charge if they get money for their client, and that charge is a percentage of the money they recover. However, that fee structure still leaves a lot of room for variation.

Different lawyers charge a different percentage. And some lawyers may add expenses to the fee that others do not. Before deciding on a lawyer, ask them about their fee structure and payment options. While a lawyer may be a bit deceptive about other things, they won’t lie about this unless they want to lose their license.

Set Up a Consultation to Get a Case Evaluation

Almost every personal injury lawyer offers a free consultation to potential clients. During this consultation, they will typically answer any questions you have about their law firm, evaluate approximately how much your case is worth, and answer limited questions about the law.

Take advantage of this and schedule a free consultation, even if you aren’t certain whether you want to take legal action.

FAQ

What Are Common Types of Personal Injury Cases?

Every lawyer will describe their focus differently. But the most common types of personal injury cases are:

Car accidents
Workers’ compensation
Medical malpractice
Product liability
Premises liability
Wrongful death

Always ask a potential lawyer whether the specifics of your case are similar to past cases they have represented.

Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

In most personal injury cases, you can potentially get money from an insurance company without retaining a lawyer. However, people who do this usually get significantly less money than they would have received with legal representation.

Even accounting for legal fees, you will probably get more money if you hire a lawyer to represent your case.

Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?

Few personal injury cases ever go before a judge or jury. Typically, your lawyer will collect evidence to support your claim and then file a lawsuit on your behalf. During pre-trial motions, your attorney is required to share that evidence with the other lawyer.

If they collect strong enough evidence, the other attorney can usually determine that you will likely win your case. At that point, the insurance company almost always agrees to a settlement to avoid the expense of a trial.

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer at Sands Law Today

Now that you know how to choose a personal injury attorney, we welcome you to look over our qualifications. At Sands Law, we have a reputation for helping victims of personal injury cases get the compensation they need to fully recover from their injuries. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer today.